(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display panel and more particularly, to a display panel including a flexible substrate and a manufacturing method thereof.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Representative examples among flat panel display devices currently in use include liquid crystal displays, organic light emitting diode displays, electrophoretic displays, electrowetting displays, and the like.
One of the more common types of flat panel displays currently in use is the liquid crystal display. A liquid crystal display includes two sheets of display panels, or substrates, that each have field generating electrodes, such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode, formed thereon. A liquid crystal layer is interposed between the two sheets of display panels. The liquid crystal display generates electric fields in the liquid crystal layer by applying voltage to the field generating electrodes. The electric field determines the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer, thus controlling polarization of incident light so as to display images. To affix the two panels of the liquid crystal display to each other, and to prevent the liquid crystal material of the liquid crystal layer from leaking out of the panel, the edges of two display panels are sealed by a sealant.
Another type of flat panel display is the organic light emitting diode display. An organic light emitting diode display includes a hole injection electrode (anode) and an electron injection electrode (cathode), and an organic emission layer formed therebetween, and is a self-emission type display device where a hole injected from the anode and an electron injected from the cathode are re-coupled and dissipated in the organic emission layer to emit light.
In the case of display devices that utilize substrates made from glass, which is a relatively heavy and fragile material, the portability and size of the display screen is limited by the weight and vulnerability of the glass. Accordingly, display devices have recently been developed that use plastic substrates. Plastic substrates are a light weight, shock-resistant and flexible.
However, because plastic substrates are pliable, defects in the edges of the plastic substrate can be easily generated during the manufacturing process of display devices that use plastic substrates, even if only a slight impact is applied. In particular, if the edges of the liquid crystal display panel are bent or modified by a physical stimulus, such as an external impact, two panels coupled by the sealant may be separated, or bonds within the plastic substrate itself may be broken or detached, such that product yield is reduced.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.